TRIAL OF TURKISH HISTORIAN POSTPONED
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS: The trial of the Turkish historian
Ektan Turkilmaz who was arrested in Yerevan while trying to smuggle
out of Armenia tens of books “of historical and cultural value” dating
back to 17 and 20 centuries started today at a local court presided by
Karen Farkhoyan but was postponed because of the involvement of new
defense attorney Hrayr Ghukasian who has to get acquainted with the
details of the case and needs time. The court decided to start the
process August 12.
Varduhi Elbakian, the defense attorney, said earlier official
Turkey is not interested in defending its citizen at all as, according
to her, Ektan Turkilmaz made statements condemning the Armenian
genocide. Moreover, it is possible that after Turkilmaz returns to
Turkey he will be prosecuted. If found guilty the Turkish historian
will be sentenced to 4-8 years of imprisonmentin Armenia.
Ektan Turkilmaz, 33, a Turkish citizen from Istanbul and a
studentof a US-based Duke University, in North Carolina, was arrested
aboard a plane bound from Yerevan to Istanbul June 17. The historian
does not plead guilty saying he violated the law unpurposed